


Do not stand at my grave bereft (I am not there. I have not left.)

by MrsWinterBreath



Category: Avengers, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Memories, POV Steve Rogers, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Endgame, Sad sad sad, Steve misses Tony, Steve talks to Tony's grave, UST, Unresolved Sexual Tension, dead tony, sad old Steve, sad then happy hot and quite angsty then sad again, still crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 21:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20414500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsWinterBreath/pseuds/MrsWinterBreath
Summary: A few years have passed since Tony's death, and just now Steve is finally able to visit his grave, and say goodbye to his beloved."Those words kept echoing in his head while he was trying to process the brutality of the reality, thefactthat Tony was, indeed, dead.For a long time Steve had pretended the two of them were just not seeing each other due to different tasks, that if he wanted he could have called Tony and actually met him up, that if heneededTony, he would have come without even questioning it. And in this way Steve had lived in denial for days first, and months after, and then years, until one day it had actually hit him: the realisation that no, Tony would have not come if Steve had needed him."





	Do not stand at my grave bereft (I am not there. I have not left.)

Sun was shining in a hurtful way that morning, as the old and slightly limping man was pacing his way along the flowering avenue.  
He was looking downward as if he was trying to balance a great weight on his shoulders or as if he was just afraid he was going to trip at any moment due to his bad reflexes.

It had not been that much of a time since he was not able to quickly react to something happening near him anymore but it seemed to him that a thousand years had passed indeed: sometimes looking in the mirror was still something incredibly weird for him but he had already had a sudden change of his appearance in the past, so turning from very young to very old in the span of five seconds wasn’t really that different than turning from very childish looking to very handsome looking in the same amount of time.

So there he was, faltering among some kind of gloomy flowers in a very sunny Sunday morning, feeling that deadly light almost burning his chest. But Steve had a purpose, that day, so he was not going to let that distressed feeling of his ruin his plan.

He arrived at the end of the path, right where the grass and the flowers were now replaced by the sand of a hidden shore that directly led to the ocean. He stopped from proceeding further and with some difficulty he sat down on the sand.

Panting because of his back ache, Steve finally closed his eyes and inspired deeply only for a brief moment. Then he opened his eyes once again, not looking in front of him but on his left, and while smiling softly he nodded nostalgic.

“Hi, Tony”, he croaked, his hand now resting on the cold surface of a marble gravestone, “were you waiting for me?”

His words came out clear in the silence of the moment, broken only by the swift waves that crushed on the water edge.

Tony’s grave was something that for a long moment he didn’t even want to think about: the mere thought of the cold body of the man laying under a ton of dirt in the obnoxious darkness of a coffin used to cause him a deep and piercing pain in his old heart, that usually led him not to sleep for several nights straight.

But that early morning, when he had finally decided to go visiting Tony, Steve knew it was the right moment, that perhaps waiting was worth it, because he had not previously been ready to actually see and _ feel _ what was standing near him; a pale and glacial marble commemorative plaque erected among scrubs with a few sentences engraved on its surface:

_ “In loving memory of ** Tony Stark **  
A fond husband, a caring father, a goodhearted friend.” _

“Goodhearted friend”, Steve murmured, right before feeling a bothersome ache in his heart: and then he knew that he couldn’t have come there earlier because it would have meant dealing with this pain at a time when his wounds were still too open to really accept what had happened.

And now, to see those elegant and fancy letters forming Tony’s name following that “in loving memory” goodbye was way too painful for him to bear.

Not “Ironman”, not a superhero kind of title, just “Tony”, a _ goodhearted friend _.  
Those words kept echoing in his head while he was trying to process the brutality of the reality, the _fact_ that Tony was, indeed, dead.

For a long time Steve had pretended the two of them were just not seeing each other due to different tasks, that if he wanted he could have called Tony and actually met him up, that if he _needed_ Tony, he would have come without even questioning it.  
And in this way Steve had lived in denial for days first, and months after, and then years, until one day it had actually hit him: the realisation that no, Tony would have not come if Steve had needed him.

In the beginning it was rough, waking up in the morning felt like a knife stab in his chest, every little task was wearying, and when the sun was setting he always felt a kind of relief knowing that another day had passed, that he had made it through another day without him, without Tony.

A _goodhearted friend_. Steve giggled a little, asking himself if Tony would have wanted to be referred to in such a mild way: Tony that had called himself with little to no hesitation a genius and a playboy. It was such a long time ago.

They had just met, and it was so draining for Steve to collaborate, especially when Tony couldn’t stop being so cocky and proud, _especially_ when Tony couldn’t stop teasing him to the point that Steve had actually started questioning if he was flirting with him.

And then the day they argued in a very excited way Steve had been so impressed at how fast Tony had replied to his provocation with that “genius billionaire playboy philanthropist”. He had felt so angry and kind of humiliated but at the same time he had pretended not to be very turned on by his arrogance.

And Tony was still standing there, so tiny yet so firm, that Steve couldn’t help but feel a subtle impulse to react to his pride if by smacking him or making out with him he couldn’t tell.  
Every time they were about to take an important decision Steve felt like Tony proposed something opposite only to get on his nerves, just to test him, wanting to actually make him snap at him just for the purpose of it.

Eventually they had learnt to get along with each other, but Steve knew that lowkey there was an implicit bond within the two of them that just stated they had to respect the other in order to ensure peace.

But _oh God_ how much he despised Tony!

When he was talking and talking and talking; when he kept on cracking up puns and jokes even in the most critic moments; when he bursted out laughing when they were discussing something important. And when Steve was all serious, stiff in his Captain America suit, and Tony just showed up wearing a printed shirt of some band and with that haughty attitude of his.

He almost _hated_ him, because in the middle of a fight Tony was always up for some flirty joke and Steve, Steve wasn’t even able to reply, too much confused and embarrassed by his comments.

But there were also times in which Tony was actually a really good speaker; like that time when Steve was feeling really down, just boxing all day trying to find motivation in doing anything at all. He had not told anybody about his sense of despair, because he knew he had to stay strong for the team, and furthermore he didn’t want to bother anyone.

And while he was there, punching the sack with every single strength he could find in his body, he fell to the ground, keeping his head between his hands and trying not to tear up too loudly.

He had quickly turned around when a soft voice had made him startle, just to find Tony sitting quietly on a bench right there. Steve had come back to his exercises, while he pretended not to have been caught crying.

He was waiting for Tony to make fun of him, to tell a joke, or just poke him because a man of his size was whining like a little boy. But apparently he did not really know Tony, because the way he started speaking left him quite speechless, even though he continued his workout acting casually.

“You know,” Tony was confiding with a very soft and low voice “for a long time I thought I had nothing to do with you.” He stopped, and Steve punched harder the sand sack in front of him.

“A huge man like you, all upright and honest. Ready to do the right thing, America’s favorite.” Again, Tony remained quiet, as if he was waiting for Steve to demolish that punchball, which happened a few seconds later.

“I couldn’t be more wrong”, a brief silence followed Tony’s words, who was now focused on Steve changing the broken sack with a new one.

“You and I”, he started again, “we’re just trying to live up to people’s expectations. And sometimes -most of the times, actually- it’s difficult, I know. But this does not mean we are failing”.

Silence once again, but this time Steve stopped himself from punching the sack, and he just remained still, his fists up in the air, and his look fixated on the ground.

He asked himself what was the reason of that unexpected kindness of Tony, he even questioned the possibility that he was making fun of him and that sooner or later he would have made a joke or something, and popped that soft and reassuring bubble that had been created around them.

Steve didn’t say a word, so Tony started bumbling once again, this time a little awkwardly, something very unusual for him.  
“What I’m trying to say is that- it’s okay if it seems too much sometimes. If you can’t handle the whole situation, and if you just feel like giving up and -uh- crying.”

He seemed like he was pondering his words for a moment “yeah, Cap’, there is nothing wrong with crying, I do it too. A lot of times”. His voice was now louder, firm, as if he was giving himself advice more than the man in front of him.

“We’re gonna figure it out together, you know? Whatever your dealing with right now. I’m the futurist and you’re the man out of time: perhaps we were meant to meet”.

For a moment he remained on the bench almost as if he wanted to add something, then he stood up and quietly left the training room. Steve was still with his fists up in front of his face, his back turned to where Tony was some instants before.  
His heart was racing and his eyes slowly filling with tears once again: he sat on the ground and cried.

***

_Goodhearted friend_: yes, yes he was.

“Tony”, Steve screeched, looking at the ocean “for so many years, so much time, I convinced myself you had said _meant to be_. I know you did, did you?”

He sniffed a little “but what about now? It looks like we weren’t after all…” A seagull flied upon his head, in the middle of that painfully clear sky.

“Do you remember our first kiss?”, he muttered now smiling softly, “I still recall it when I feel sad. I think that is one of my happiest memories”.

It was a late evening when it happened. He was standing on the rooftop of the Avengers’ tower, looking at the night sky and the few stars that were slightly shining in the darkness. He had heard someone approaching him, and when he had turned around he had found Tony standing beside him.

Lately they had got along very well, and Steve had discovered that they were really a powerful duo when they decided to cooperate instead of arguing and fighting over everything.

He had learnt to understand Tony, the reason why he always had to laugh everything off with a joke just to prevent himself from getting hurt; the way his look darkened whenever someone hyped up the accomplishments of his father; how he was able to deliver motivational speeches when things seemed to be hopeless. He actually enjoyed finding out little details of Tony’s personality that no one else seemed to notice.

For the first few moments they talked about the mission they had undergone that day: Tony was really enthusiastic and while he was describing some particular scientific project he had found in the lab that they had to sequester, Steve found himself caught with the way the man was moving his hands, and how his eyes seemed to sparkle.  
He smiled involuntarily in complete awe as he felt his heart growing three sizes.

“Cap’?! Hey! You listenin’?” Steve came back to his senses and tried to shake off the expression of amusement he must have had on his face.

“What?”, he asked in confusion “yeah, of course. Keep going”.

Tony frowned “Were you listening, Cap’?” For a moment he seemed concerned, as if Steve was really minding his own business.

“Yes, I told you so! Coordinates, numbers, technological stuff… go on”, he mocked, then added “just, you know, don’t call me Cap’. You can call me Steve.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Tony apologised, laughing a little “I thought only friends were allowed to call you by your birth name.”

Steve shook his head now grinning, “we _are_ friends, Tony”. He rolled his eyes, asking himself why the man always pretended to humble himself.

A brief silence followed Steve’s reassurance, then Tony raised his brow looking thoughtful.  
“Really? _Friends_?”, he asked, absorbed “thought _friends_ didn’t look at each other like this”.

Steve’s heart lost a beat as he nervously mumbled “like what?!”. At the same time he regretted asking.

“Like you want to take off my clothes”.

Steve blushed intensely and his heart began racing at a very high speed. He felt like he had been caught off guard as he began stuttering “I don’t- I _do not_\- I don’t want to-”

“What?” Tony asked innocently trying to force Steve into explaining himself further “what is that you do _not_ want?”

“I don’t want to- you _know_ what”, he affirmed angrily, his cheeks burning like fire.

“Actually, I don’t” Tony kept on teasing him.

Steve rolled his eyes once again, this time with a sense of frustration “Why do you always have to act like this, Stark?!”  
He was feeling really annoyed by his attitude, but at the same time his heart was beating faster and faster as he tried to calm down himself, also hoping Tony wouldn’t notice his quite undeniable blush.

“Oh, so now we’re no longer friends?” Tony looked clueless, while pointing at the two of them “_Stark_ seems quite of detached, if you ask me”, he mumbled thoughtful.

“You know what I meant”, Steve repeated. He drew closer to Tony with an expression of annoyance and lowkey anger because of the embarrassment he had put him in.

Tony approached him too, his brow still raised “You keep saying it but I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
He chuckled a little, then proceeded further “honestly, I don’t even get why you’re always so stiff: just relax a little bit, perhaps?!”

Steve got now more irritated as he kept on pointing his eyes upon himself or on the ground just to avoid looking Tony in his eyes “I’m not stiff”, he stated angrily “Actually, _you_ are the problem, you know?”

Tony looked interested in this change of pace so Steve added “Yes, _Stark_. You are the problem. Wanna know why?”

Tony mumbled out an _enlighten me_, but Steve was already talking without waiting for his permission “Things wouldn’t be so complicated if you just acted like a normal human being, you know, just knowing when it’s the right time to laugh or- or- to joke about a situation, or, I don’t know, make a pun or something.  
No, you always have to make fun of everything, always have to embarrass people just to make your ego grow bigger as if it was some kind of accomplishment.”

“Huh- looks like someone is stressed out”, Tony teased once again.

“_This_! This is it! You’re doing it once again!” Steve snapped, opening his eyes wide “I can’t stand you!”, he almost shouted, and he seemed so out of himself that he started to ask himself what _really_ was the problem.

“I swear I _do not_ understand what is that I’m doing!”, this time Tony raised his voice, getting closer to Steve and actually looking like he couldn’t get what he was getting wrong.

Steve looked him in the eyes, not able to look away now that the man was standing so close that he could almost feel the heartbeat of Tony and not just his own.

“You-” he stuttered “You’re always- _flirting_ or something”.

“_Flirting_?!” Tony chuckled “I was joking! You know, two friends kidding around. Nothing sexual, buddy.” He looked really satisfied with his reply, and he grinned naively when Steve flushed once again.

“Well- I don’t like this kind of jokes, so I’m asking you to stop.”

At this point Tony got rid of his look of innocence and just straight up snorted “You know what, Rogers? I’m tired of you, you’re _so_ boring. People can’t even dare to say something funny around you because you’d look them with that look of disappointment of yours.  
When you enter the room, we have to cut off every fun we were having and just pretend to be all serious and focused on whatever the hell of a mission we are doing because _God forbid_ we’re enjoying ourselves.”

Tony looked a little heated up as he was pointing his finger at Steve’s chest “Wanna know what more? I have tried so _so_ hard to entertain you, to make you laugh or something, even _smile_, but nope! You can’t even do that, because everything -_everything_\- is deadly serious to you!”  
He rolled his eyes and kind of laughed in distress “And now you have just made me be so rude to you, you have created this whole drama just because you couldn’t repeat -as a _damn joke_\- that you wanted to rip off my clothes!”

“What-?! No!” Steve yelled “That is not true!” He felt quite hopeless, almost shaking with his face burning.

“Yes, yes it _is_ true!”

“That is not- I-”

“Then what, ‘Cap?! What?! What is it?” Tony approached him even more, as he kept pointing at him with a kind of rage in his voice “Huh? Wanna tell me what it is? Or am I making you uncomfortable?!”

“Shut up!” Steve shouted, now so close to the man in front of him.

“Make me”.

He looked into Tony’s eyes for a second, wanting to punch him in the face just to show him who was the boss down there, so he pulled Tony by his shirt, and for a moment the man seemed kind of concerned, but Steve erased that look of dismay from his face when he pressed his lips on his mouth with such rage that he amazed his own self.

At first Tony startled but once Steve opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, the man just let it go and surrendered to the blonde’s tongue.

Steve’s rush was something unexpected to Tony and in any other time he would have not allowed him to take the control of the situation, but the way that usually prim man was now grabbing his legs to lift him on his hips made him forget any purpose of standing up for himself.

Steve seemed astonished too by his own initiative, considering that until the very last moment he wanted to just straight up hit the man in his face, and now, while he was tasting Tony’s mouth and holding his back with his hands, he quite thanked himself to have sticked to a more peaceful way to assert himself.

“I was actually hoping for you to do this a long time before, _Steve_”, Tony mumbled, his lips red because of the heat of the kiss, his eyes glimmering of lust.

Steve grinned, looking him in the eyes: he had fantasised about this for so much time, but he had always admonished himself that it was not going to happen, that they were just friends and that the man was friendly with anyone so he shouldn’t let it go to his head.

But being able to actually _feel_ Tony on his own lips; to look him in the eyes at such little distance; to _hear_ Tony’s heartbeat racing that fast and knowing that _he_ had caused that rush, made him understand that perhaps, sooner or later, he would have found himself in that situation no matter what: it could have been a year before, or it could have been a day after, or even in a remote future, but the two of them would have found their way to each other anyway.

“Why you standing there just smiling and looking at me like I’m some kind of a baby?!” Tony pouted, faking grudge “act like a man and kiss me again, damn!”

Steve cackled and looked him in the eyes once again glad that he could deal with such a touchy man. He kissed Tony softly, then changed his look into a more resolute one.  
“I’m gonna take off your clothes” he stated, and while Tony was heavily letting out a _thanks God_, they were kissing once again.

***

The thunderous sound of the waves crashing forced Steve to awaken and to let go his thoughts. His look fell back to Tony’s grave, so shiny, so clear and light that it seemed to blind him.

The steadiness of that firm and unyielding pale rock was so in contrast with the personality of the man commemorated by it, and to think that Tony, the _always up to something_ Tony was stuck for the eternity to just lay there made him feel an agonising ache in his heart and he found himself crying without even realising when it had started.

“It’s my fault”, he pledged, tears streaming down his cheeks, his voice cracking not just because of his age but because of the guilt which had weighed on his shoulders for so many years.

“It was me”, he continued, “I dragged you into the battlefield, I shattered your dream-life.”

When things had settled a little, after a few months since the battle, Steve had come to visit Pepper, giving his own self false hopes that by making himself seen he would have mended the pain he believed he had caused.  
By standing in that wooden furnished farm he had felt such a stranger, almost an intruder, as if his presence was not appreciated at all.

Everything in that mansion seemed to be endowed by Tony’s person: the chimney reminded Steve how the man used to spend most of his nights around the fireplace in the Avengers’ Tower when he couldn’t manage to fall asleep because of some nightmare; the several books and scientific magazines piled beside the couch made him remember how Tony could fit in every situation a quote or a maxim he had learnt by reading those dossiers.

And then, of course, all the numerous pictures of the man with his family gathered around the Christmas tree, at some fancy gala party, or around the world. There was a frame showing Tony with a newborn Morgan in his arms looking into a telescope, then another one with the little girl on a bike and Tony trying to hold her straight, and then still another picture with the two partners kissing.

Steve couldn’t help but feel extremely out of place, and Tony’s smile depicted all over those photos looked like a reminder of the way he had ripped that family apart. He truly wanted to leave that anguishing house, but as soon as he started to move backwards in the attempt of making his way out, a little brunette girl had looked at him while trying to hide behind the living room’s door.

A piercing pain had hit his heart causing him to stop himself from moving, and the little girl decided to shyly approach him now reassured by his quiet look.

“Hi”, she murmured and as soon as Steve recognised Tony’s brown eyes in her, he smiled softly to hearten her.

“Were you friends with daddy?”, she asked curiously. Steve nodded, so she added “Do you wanna be friends with me too?”

Since that first meeting he had visited Pepper and Morgan a lot of more times: he just spoiled the girl as if she was his little nephew, sometimes thinking of her as the daughter he could have had.

Morgan used to be so entertained by all his tales and stories, and at first Steve sticked to narrating historical anecdotes that he had experienced in first person, but then the girl had started requesting stories about her father, and that was something the man was not prepared to face.

But every time he looked at Morgan, he couldn’t help but see Tony in her, so he had began by narrating missions and tasks of the Avengers, and once he felt comfortable enough he started addressing her dad too.

Overcome a first hesitation, he found himself drawn by those tales, to the point that he couldn’t wait to narrate more and more stories every night. And he told her about Tony’s fight against the Chitauri’s army, and then the Sokovia episode, and then about his trip into space, and many other little things her dad used to do, the jokes he made, how generous and selfless he was and how he had even invented a time machine.

“So cool!” Morgan had left out grinning, making her fallen teeth be visible.

“Yeah”, Steve had mumbled “so cool”.

He had deliberately not addressed the battle against Thanos, thinking that it was Pepper’s duty to inform the little girl about it, but one day, once Morgan had asked about Tony’s last fight, the redhead woman had just nodded smiling sadly. “Tell her”, she had allowed him “I want it to be you”.

So Steve had described the whole alien invasion, and the power of the Infinity Stones, thus leading the story to Tony’s final sacrifice in order to save humanity.

“So daddy saved the world?”, Morgan had questioned melancholic, her eyes watery but filled with hope.

“Yes, yes he did!” Steve confirmed “He’s a hero, Morgan. Your dad is a hero”, then hugged the little girl while mumbling again “Tony is a hero”, perhaps mostly to himself.

***

“You know”, Steve giggled directed to the headstone “Yesterday I saw Morgan at your house. She asked me if she could borrow my shield once again. She said you used to let her use it like a sleigh or something, and because you allowed her to do it I should too.”

The man chuckled “I know you never allowed her. But I told her that if Sam was ever going to give it back to me, then I would have let her take it. You know what she replied, Tony?”, he asked trying to hold a nostalgic laughter “She told me: I love you, _grandpa_”.

Steve cackled, and for the first time that morning he felt a joyful stitch in his chest “You used to call me grandpa because of my doubtful fashion choices, but now that I really look like one, Tony- Oh, you would have laughed _so_ much!”

And then Steve could swear he had actually _heard_ Tony’s laugh, but only for a few instants.  
He looked in the distance, his smile slowly dying: upon the ocean dark clouds seemed to approach. It was going to rain that afternoon.

“It has not been the same anymore, since you’re gone.” A few seagulls quacking in the sky caught his attention again: they were trying to distance themselves from the darkness; waves were now crashing louder.

“Do you remember that time you explained to me the reason why stars shine so bright?”

They were sitting on the same rooftop spot were they had kissed for the first time, Tony quietly resting on Steve’s chest, a multitude of stars sparkling upon their head.

“I cannot believe you don’t know it!”, Tony was marvelling “This is something you learn in first grade!”

“Well, I’m sorry I was living during wartime and stars were not really my priority!” Steve had replied while pretending to be offended, “perhaps you should find a smarter boyfriend”, he teased.

Tony laughed “Not a big deal, I’m smart enough for both of us.”

Then he had proceeded into lecturing Steve about nuclear power and galaxies, and every time he addressed a new subject, he made himself sure the blonde knew what he was talking about by first offering a foreword. Steve kept on looking clueless, making numb expressions and excusing himself because no, he didn’t know anything about that content either.

But the truth was that he indeed already knew all that stuff. No one would have ever allowed him to take part of deadly missions if he didn’t know at least what stars were made of. But watching Tony explain things so simple in a so passionate way drew him into pretending not to know anything just for him to keep on talking. 

“It is _so_ fascinating!” Tony stated, “so distant, yet so bright”

The way he was smiling in awe made Steve promise himself that he would have fight all his life just for Tony to keep smiling like that.

“Steve”, he whispered after turning his head and meeting his eyes “you staring once again”.

“I’m sorry”, Steve apologised but did not look away “You’re _so_ fascinating”, he mocked.

Tony pouted and crossed his arms “You’re making fun of me! Why don’t you find another teacher then?!”

The blonde man cackled and hugged him from behind, then placed a soft kiss on Tony’s forehead.  
“I would rob all the stars of the sky just for you to see them shine, if you asked me to”, he proposed, his lips still resting on Tony’s head.

“What?!”, he asked shocked “Steve Rogers, this is the most cheesy -almost _disgustingly_ romantic,-thing someone has _ever_ told me. I can’t really believe you just said that”. Tony pretended to be grossed out.

Steve laughed at his expression and then admitted “Honest to God I don’t know what I would do without you”.  
The man sitting on his lap had become a certainty and every time they went on a mission he couldn’t help but being worried for Tony to the point that it was even difficult to breath while thinking of a world without him.

“You’ll never find out”, Tony mumbled, leaning to Steve in the attempt of kissing him.

“I love you”, Steve murmured, and before replying to the kiss, he grasped a look of Tony’s eyes and thought that all the stars of his own sky were trapped in there.

***

The whole sky was now covered with clouds, perhaps in the middle of the ocean it was already raining; but there on the shore there were still little glimpses of sunshine, a late goodbye before the storm. 

“Tony”, Steve called, looking at the headstone once again, “you promised you would never leave, were are you now?”

The man started crying: he had tried _so_ hard not to, but the truth was that those tears streaming down his face actually reminded him that he still felt something, that he had not become numb, not yet.

“The sky seems darker now, Tony”, he wailed “perhaps it’s true, isn’t it?” He asked tearing up, “perhaps you really carried all the stars in your eyes, and now, Tony, you have taken them away with you”.

Every morning waking up seemed the hardest task he had ever undergone: he would have gladly fought alien invasions again and again if it meant he could get up in the morning without feeling paralysed by sorrow.

“Somewhere up in the sky, among those dark clouds, there is a place where you have placed all those stars you brought away, am I right, baby?”, he bawled, “please, oh please tell me I’m right!”

He took his head with his two hands, as if he was trying to stop it from grieving that much “I can’t, Tony! I can’t! I can’t do _anything_ since you’re gone, not even the simplest tasks! And I have really tried, but a world without you was not worth of living in, that’s why I came back, that’s why I couldn’t think of a present where you were not in it.”

A few raindrops fell on his hand now placed on the marble once again, and at first he couldn’t really tell if it were his own tears.

“Tony, Tony…” Steve was mumbling, but that cold headstone kept on giving him back those few distant sentences only.

He coughed a little, then turned his face up to the sky: perhaps a storm was on its way. His hands were now both laying on the grave, the cool feeling of the marble freezing his whole body; so different from the heath and warmth Tony was always conveying. That cold had now reached Steve’s heart too, he could feel it.

“Tony?”, he called his beloved and he could swear, he could _really_ swear, he heard him uttering back a “_Steve?_”.

“Tony, would you mind if I joined you?”, he placed his head on the stone beside him, kind of laying on the ground.

“I miss you, Tony, but I’m coming home”, he closed his eyes, and coughed again, but that was really not that big of a deal.

Rain was starting to pour down, and the lightings in the distant threatened a thunderstorm; the wind upon the ocean was blowing wildly.  
On the shore, after a few instants, the old man quitted coughing and his chest stopped beating quietly.

Steve’s head was now resting peacefully next to the heart of his beloved, his fingers still in the act of tracing those painful words:

_In loving memory of Tony Stark. _

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!  
This is my first SteveTony fic, hope you liked it!!  
I beg you to forgive me for possible grammar mistakes for english is not my first language, and I'm still learning!
> 
> If you enjoyed the story leave a kudos or a comment, perhaps?  
Thank you!!  
Have a nice day <3


End file.
